office politics…

I’m learning more and more about the “professional” world everday, and I have to say- it’s a little less than encouraging. I’ve been at this job for 2 years today. My anniversary! I am only a temp, but considering the length of my stay here and the bulk of my responsibilities, I feel involved enough to have opinions. There was a job opening here about a month and a half ago. They post the jobs internally at first- they like to give the people who have been here an opportunity to move up. So there was 1 guy who is more equipped for the job than any other person here, and he’s worked here for 5 years. So, no. he found out today that the job is going to a friend of one of the supervisors here. He’s now had just about enough of the bullshit and is looking for another job. The problem is that this one supervisor seems to get all of her friends that apply the jobs they apply for. This has happened 3 times. People who were way more equipped for the job, even had been doing the job for a bit, won’t get it if it’s one of her friends.
There was one situation in particular that was angering to everyone. A woman started as a temp, and was the office manager (a position that takes a lot of responsibility and familiarity- you just have to do it to know it). So she wanted to be permanent, but they just strung her along for months. Everyone liked her, she was incredibly efficient, she did an overall excellent job. Everyone agreed. But a friend of this supervisor applied, and lo and behold- she got the job. She is nice, however she calls in all the time, demanded an assistant, and requires other people to take on responsibilities that are always taken care of by the office manager. She complains and says that she’s overworked. I like her, and it’s not her fault that she was unfairly favored. But it doesn’t help that the original woman did a better job than she does. It’s just not fair. And now this happens and one of my friends is leaving.
I don’t know if it will be better in the social work field. I’m not there yet, but from what I hear it’s worse. Why can’t people get over that high school mentality?
What’s to become of the hard working, underpaid, true professionals out there? I should have expected this. This country would be nothing if not for the sweat of the underpaid and underappreciated. Boy am I lucky I’m only 20 and in school. Gives me something to be grateful for.
Well, I hope you all are appreciated for what you do. I can only stress the importance of keeping your head up! It makes a difference in your life, even if it doesn’t shine through in other areas. Money is nothing. Too bad we need it to live.

Comments (2)

I feel that! I for one have made a decision to be grateful about my college career by not taking advantage of it, and putting in 100% effort at all times. Having been a “baker” for 2 years, I feel as though I’ve attained a sense of the underpaid, overworked work force. And that some people do not have the resources or options of getting a higher education. That’s one of the many beauties of your (future) field of work… you can help these people change their circumstances!

well, it occurs to me that there is a definate action that the real producers of the world can take — but I won’t go into words about it. You should really read Atlas Shrugged….remember how I told you that the book changed my life? It’s about this, exactly — hardworking, underappreciated, genuine badasses getting fed up with all of the corporate beauracracy. What do we do when the well runs dry?….